Giants signing more defensive line help after Dexter Lawrence trade
The New York Giants are adding more help to their defensive line after the unit was ravaged by the Dexter Lawrence trade last month . According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo , the Giants are finalizing a deal with former Detroit Lions defensive lineman D. J.
Reader. The writing was on the wall that the Giants and Reader could eventually unite, as the veteran defensive tackle previously visited New York before the 2026 NFL Draft. This is the third addition the Giants have made to their defensive line room since the Lawrence trade.
Big Blue also signed Shelby Harris and Leki Fotu. D. J.
Reader’s 2025 season Detroit Lions nose tackle DJ Reader (98) warms up before the NFL game against the Tennessee Titans at Ford Field in Detroit on Oct. 27, 2024. D.
J. Reader spent the last two seasons with the Lions, appearing in 32 games in that span. In 2025, the 31-year-old played in all 17 games, the first time he has done so in his career, and tallied 28 tackles and four QB hits.